Tough task for Belfast High School in Schools Cup

Belfast High School produced enough to come through their postponed game against Omagh Academy when the sides met in their Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup 2nd Round game.

The High School won that game by 13-5 but their coaching team, Michael Rainey and David Scott, know their talented group of players will have to dig deep if they are to achieve a winning result against an ever improving Wallace High School at 10.30am.

Captain, Lewis Benson, knows his team can rightly be seen as another ‘Dark Horse” team for the Ulster Schools’ Cup.

He will want his players to do themselves justice in their encounter with Wallace.

He can call upon his own representative experience as well as the Ulster Age Grade representative experience of players such as Jordan Garford, a hard running and skilful centre, Robbie Reid, Joel McBride and Conor McDermott.

Wallace have experienced varying degrees of success in the course of the season, thus far.

However, recent results, including a 28-26 win against St Mary’s College, Dublin suggests they are starting to peak at just the right time.

They had a number of players unavailable earlier in the season due to injury. However, it would appear that the Wallace coaches, Derek Suffern and Neil Hinds have a full squad from which to select for this game.

Dalriada School came through successfully against Portadown College in their second round game.

On that occasion, it was the performance of the Dalriada captain, Timmy Emerson, which laid the foundations for the victory.

He displayed the game management skills that saw him involved with the successful Ulster U19 team back in September.

Timmy will require another big performance if his team is to have any chance of pulling off what would be a shock victory when Royal Belfast Academical Institution team comes to town on Saturday, kick-off 11am.

On paper, Belfast Inst appear to have too many talented players throughout their squad, including 11 who played in last year’s final.

Coach Dan Soper, as well as his assistant, Richard Hedley, has experienced the pain of defeat in recent Schools’ Cup Finals, Dan with Ballyclare High School and Richard with Belfast Inst.

They would be delighted to get an opportunity to set the record straight this season. They have played 18 games this season and have won 14 of those games.